Chapter 451

Chapter 451: Trilobite’s Trick on the Customers

“Hmm?”

Trilobite turned around and saw the group of Suchosaur.

Their bodies were like sausage dogs, swaying with clumsy but quick steps as they sneaked back.

This group of small things kept a safe distance from Trilobite, ready to slip away at any moment.

They stayed alert but looked like they needed help.

“Hmm…”

As a soul transplant, Trilobite was rather “foolish,” since he hadn’t learned this world’s language yet. He could only hear annoying “hiss” sounds when the Suchosaur spoke.

But as a former paleo creature researcher and ecology lover, Trilobite guessed their intentions from animal actions.

“Do you want to learn a foreign language too?”

“Ah, no, do you want to eat meat?”

“Right, that’s it!”

Trilobite figured that in the Triassic period, creatures like the Ornitholestes, Troodon, and Suchosaur were probably opportunists, eating whatever they found.

From seeds and tender leaves to fungi, insects, and carrion, they ate anything.

After all, nature had fierce competition, and for creatures that weren’t specialized or had a foundational form, being picky meant starving.

Their Ecological Niche was like today’s badgers, raccoons, and crows.

These little thieves and beggars often followed beasts like leopards and wolves, stealing food when the predators weren’t looking or eating leftovers.

Realizing this, Trilobite felt no liking for them.

“Go away!”

“You can’t have any meat!”

“Thud——!”

Trilobite roared, stomping his foot on the Arizona dinosaur’s skeleton and showing his sharp teeth and long legs.

“Why should I give you the meat I caught with hard work?”

Trilobite was stingy with “outsiders.”

Even though the Arizona dinosaur was just bones and scraps now, he wouldn’t share with these strangers.

Why should they get free stuff?

“Catch your own bugs if you want meat!”

“Go! Go! Go!”

Sadly, the warning didn’t work.

One creature shamelessly bent over and peeked closer.

Trilobite remembered crows acted like this before stealing things!

These creatures were surely getting ready to steal!

The ground lay six skeletons of the Arizona dinosaur, and Trilobite only had one head. No matter how fiercely he guarded, complete protection was impossible.

Trilobite yelled furiously.

“Roar——!”

“Hiss…”

“Hiss!”

This outburst scared the group of Suchosaur away!

But they stopped shortly after fleeing, continuing their endless hissing.

Chasing them was futile—Trilobite couldn’t have caught up. Perhaps combining Flip the World Off might taunt one or two closer, but he refused to expend the effort.

Yet if he didn’t pursue, these creatures seemed all too eager to freeload.

Utterly vexed.

“Hmph!”

Trilobite glared at the Suchosaurs’ smug looks and snorted coldly.

“Don’t you crave meat?”

“Don’t you want to steal a meal!?”

“Aren’t you fast runners!?”

He snapped, opening the System’s "Evolution Negotiation Room" interface.

“System, can I force a sale?”

[Promoting group purchase products…]

Evidently, the System rejected forced sales, permitting only “promotion.”

[Promotion successful.]

[This transaction involves a group purchase product: high magic consumption, low selling price. Accept the order?]

“Ha!”

“Perfect timing.”

“Accept it!”

Trilobite gave a slight grin.

“Hehe, just watch—I’ll make sure none of you taste meat again!”

—-

“Mean! So stingy! Hiss hiss!”

“Give us one too! Hiss!”

The ordinary Pan-Spirit Deities stretched their necks timidly.

Earlier, golden light had erupted from that Giant God’s form, transforming it into a long, beautiful figure—a “divine miracle” that still shook their Souls.

So they wondered: perhaps this remarkable Giant God could perform the same for them?

One brave ordinary Pan-Spirit Deity lowered its body, placed its claws forward, and crept ahead with its head bobbing in and out.

Though this posture looked comical and sneaky, it was how they showed respect and "loyalty" to the Giant Spirit God.

A jester must have a jester’s furtive manner.

Yet the Giant God clearly disliked it.

It roared furiously, sending them scrambling far away.

"Don’t strike a smiling face! Hiss!"

"You don’t understand decorum… Hiss…"

As they kept chattering complaints…

"Buzz——!"

"Buzz——!"

Their Souls suddenly shuddered violently!

The ordinary Pan-Spirit Deities felt their souls being dragged from their Divine Bodies, slowly sucked into an Abyss brimming with endless "mystery" and "knowledge"!

Soon, intense pain shot through their Divine Bodies!

But they felt no fear because…

"Hiss! We’re getting stronger!"

It was the cramping and pressure pain from their organs expanding and contracting!

—-

"Hmm…"

"Both are true dragons, so it’s actually less difficult."

The dinosaur order are true dragons, and false crocodiles are too. Though their ancestors diverged long ago with major anatomical differences, it’s not like Trilobite and starfish doing "cross-branch development."

This isn’t even "Abnormal Development."

"Let me see!"

"First, install an air sac system!"

"Then fix the body proportions—why so stretched out like a dachshund?"

"Lengthen the legs, make ’em digitigrade for speed."

"Redesign the neck vertebrae into an ‘S-curve’ for flexibility."

"Teeth next—why so pointy? Dull them down."

…

After these adjustments, they reached the heart of Trilobite’s scheme.

"Finally, y’all grow larger right now!"

"What? Too much Chaos Energy needed?"

"Hehe, we can ‘get a loan’…"

The loans and debts issued by Trilobite weren’t "subprime loan" trash bonds, but rather quite solid "assets." After all, any paleo creature receiving Trilobite’s "loan" had no choice but to repay. Should they "forget" about the debt, the "Gaping Maw and Sharp Teeth" imprints on their foreheads and stomachs would certainly "remind" them!

Trilobite didn’t engage in loan sharking, though. He remained unaware of the "Gaping Maw and Sharp Teeth" imprints, believing interest rates should stay affordable for borrowers while ensuring their repayment capability grew sustainably. Even resource exploitation needed sustainable methods.

Thinking this…

"Oh my, I’m truly the conscience of the lending world."

"Right up there with Hanzawa Naoki."

"Done!"

Trilobite, the "Hanzawa Naoki" of the dinosaur order, nodded at his completed work. "Indeed, I’ve reshaped these creatures into… Troodon!"

Troodon—the name sounded somewhat like theropod dinosaurs, and they looked nearly identical to early theropods, almost mirroring Dilophosaurus. Yet they weren’t theropods, but basal members of Sauropod Dinosaurs. Yes, these clawed dinosaurs had blunt teeth, walked on two legs, could sprint swiftly, hunted small lizards, nibbled fish, and consumed shoots and fungi. Occupying the same Ecological Niche as Dilophosaurus, they were ancestors to all later herbivorous giant sauropods!

"Stronger now!"

"Good!"

"Quack quack quack——!"

A flock of Troodon duck-quacked, growing noisier. Trilobite watched them. "Hmph… Enjoy your pride while it lasts. Soon enough, that pride will fade." Had Trilobite possessed a face, he’d have been smirking. He’d made… alterations to these creatures. Not harmful ones, of course. These weren’t standard Troodon—Trilobite had nudged them toward "progress." Their teeth had dulled considerably, making flesh-tearing arduous despite remaining possible. Their bellies had grown slightly larger too. Trilobite lengthened their intestines and expanded their stomachs, enhancing plant and fungi digestion. Their necks lengthened marginally as well—meaning little now, but hinting at future evolution.

"Repay my loans, remember!"

With that, Trilobite returned to planting trees, staying true to his purpose. Meanwhile, the Troodon sampled meat scraps from the Arizona dinosaur skeleton before losing interest. Intrigued, they turned toward the swamp. "Go munch leaves and catch bugs!"

Just as Trilobite planted the last sapling…

[Beep… beep… beep…]

The System’s alarm blared unexpectedly.

"Strange. Never heard this sound before."